Marijuana Rx commission approves dispensary moves

At Wednesday afternoon’s meeting of the state Medical Marijuana Commission, commissioners approved changes in location for three dispensaries and a change in ownership for Osage Creek Cultivation LLC.

This was the first meeting of new commissioner JP Mobley, an advanced practice nurse from El Dorado. She replaces Stephen Carroll and was appointed to the seat by House Speaker Matthew Shepherd. Commissioner Travis Story was absent.

After much discussion between commission members and RX Med representatives, the dispensary was approved to move from its proposed address on Hines Boulevard in Prescott to 4423 Broad in Texarkana. The city of Prescott opposed the dispensary’s move, and letters provided to the commission from state Sen. Bruce Maloch (D-Magnolia), Prescott Director of Economic Development Mary Godwin, and state Rep. Danny Watson (R-Hope) voiced their opposition to the change in location. Ross Mash, a consultant and representative for Rx Med, told the commission the dispensary “vetted 15 different sites” in Prescott before ultimately deciding to locate in Texarkana, as no site could be found that met all the qualifications of the medical marijuana amendment — including that a dispensary must be at least 1,500 feet from any school, church or daycare.

Arkansas Natural Products was approved to move from its original site at 931 Hwy. 65 to 1303 Hwy. 65 South in Clinton. It will stay in North Central Arkansas’s Zone 2. Stephen Shrum, an Arkansas Natural Products owner, said the dispensary’s option to purchase its original address expired, and the new location will be more centrally located for customers.

Rock City Harvest is moving seven miles from its proposed site at 3740 Prince St. to 1200 Thomas G. Wilson Drive in Conway. It will remain in Central Arkansas’s Zone 5. Robbin Rahman, a Little Rock lawyer and owner of the dispensary, said Rock City Harvest is changing its location in part due to complaints from Conway residents about the original site being too close to a residential area. The new location is also closer to the Interstate 40 exchange.

A change in ownership was approved for Osage Creek Cultivation LLC in Carroll County, which received the fourth highest cultivation score (432.5 out of 500). Owners Mary and Jay Trulove wanted to have their sons, Bradley and Matthew Trulove, added as owners of the cultivation center. Mary’s ownership stake in the company will decrease from 60 percent to 55 percent, Jay’s will decrease from 40 percent to five percent, and Bradley and Matthew Trulove will each own a 20 percent stake in the cultivation center.